In its first full year in the United States and Canada, For the Strength of Youth conferences are still unfamiliar to many youth, their parents and their leaders. Many youth outside of the U.S. and Canada have had opportunities for many years to participate in FSY conferences.
In a recent Church News podcast interview, Young Men General President Steven J. Lund and Sister Rebecca L. Craven, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, shared six things youth can get out of their time at FSY.
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1. Feel and recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost
President Lund said FSY “is a place where kids can come out of the world for five days and come under the influence of the Spirit.”
Being in an environment replete with the influence of the Holy Ghost helps the youth to “make commitments and make decisions and discover a little bit of who they are and what their place is in the Kingdom of God and as a result, they go away on a much higher plane, better able to deal with the realities of the real world,” he said.
Sister Craven said this environment helps youth because understanding how the Spirit speaks to someone is one of the most frequently asked questions youth ask about. She said youth today recognize the need to identify the voice of the Lord inspiring them to make correct decisions and find answers to their questions. Being at FSY immerses youth in a way they can constantly feel the Spirit and be surrounded by others who feel it, too.
You can read the full summary of President Lund and Sister Craven’s podcast interview on Church News or listen to the podcast episode in the player below.